One modification to my review below :) ... I should have read the manual b4 i started reviewing :) ... sorry ... anyway (what im taking about is that I missed a bunch of sounds because i did'nt understand a feature of the synth ...

Ok the modification

Sounds ... 70% are awsome 20% are excellent 5% are good and 3-5% i could take or leave ... bottome line ... for the price i have to give the jam packed baby a 5/5 for sounds !!!

I know my partial review below is so far very good ... all i can say is it just got even better ... get out and get this bad boy!!

DanMan

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Thursday-Apr-05-2001 at 02:48

DanMan
a part-time user
from USA
writes:

Hi All,

Well I just picked up a RS-5 ... and I'm not completely finished investigating itr but I thought i'd post a bit now and abit later :)

Sounds ...

From just playing the "Tones" Id have to say that this synth is definately worth the bucks. 50% of the sounds are excellent, 40% are good to excelent and 10% are "what were they thinking" ... also there are a number of options for tweeking the sounds so I'd say this synth would be a welcome addition to ones setup (provided they dont have tons of money to spend ... If money is no object; of course there are better options) ... if u got around $600.00 to spend I'd say this is definately one to take a look at. ... (4.7/5.0)

The addition of the quick access tone selection buttons is really nice ... its very easy and quick to find a sound ya like. (5.0/5.0)

Real Time Controls ...

I'd have to agree that the cutoff and resonance are abit digital sounding (you can hear steps as u turn) so for real time adjustments I'd say pass unless u looking for that sound; however, for a quick adjustmet to get that perfect tweek for the room ur in ... definately usefull. (4.5/5)

The quick access to attack and release and an LFO are a nice additions and also very usefull. A full ADSR might have been nice but its ok with just AR (4.7/5.0).

Packaging ...

The synth is quite light; however, unlike some I lake the feature ... carrying this synth from place to place will really be nice. Even though its light its still feels quite durable (dont drop it on concret :) ... but could any synth take a good drop?? I'd say that if they were shooting for a nice portable synth with good durability I'd say they hit the mark. (4.7/5.0)

Looks .... just looks awsome (5.0/5.0)

Buttons ... Feels solid enough and light up when selected also some have multible uses so for one use they flash another theyll stay on. The flashing uses are always temporary access uses so u dont have to see flash lights ... for general purpose uses their either on or off ... (4.6/5.0)

Knobs ... Functional, by no means terrible ... but they could have been better ... not worth staying away from the synth because of em ... (3.99/5.0 Its hard to give this synth anything below a 4.0 :) ... )

Keyboard ....

I like the feel of these keys almost as nice as the Yamaha S30. (4.7/5.0 its a synth not a piano)

Misc ...

Supports Midi1, Midi2, GS INs/Outs ... at this price range u get as much as u could expect.

I have much more to check out ... (Performances, Appegiator, Serious Tweeking, Effects, Multitimbral from an external seq, ... etc etc etc.

In a few more days ill come back and talk about the other stuff.

As of this point 4.7/5.0 Definately a great synth.

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Thursday-Apr-05-2001 at 01:51

Derik
a professional user
from U.S.A
writes:

This synth is great for the beginner. It's got quite good sounds in and I like the real time controls,too. Someone said that cut off and resonance controls are way too digital. Well...I think those are o.k. It sounds definately different than ANALOGUES BUT if you are good at tweaking, holy shoot! it's gonna sounds stunning! I think this is good for the making electronic music (sort of like elctro-new age stuff). Hell yeah...you can make the similar feeling of Houjobb and Funker Vogt sounds. Trust me, I have tried to make that kind of sound since I bought it and it worked someway! Chek out RS-9,too. Its keys are weighted (not fully but quite smooth and good) and seems you can use it as a masterkeyboard.(Does anyone know whether this fact true or not? email me)

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Monday-Apr-02-2001 at 11:31

Sonny
a hobbyist user
from France
writes:

This synth is a superb beginner synth. Its cheap, its easy to use, it has lots of sounds, and the sounds are good to. I like the design, but the buttons are very plastic, but it still sounds great!

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Monday-Apr-02-2001 at 08:28

Midi
a part-time user
from USA
writes:

I dont like the RS Series either, the XV range is a lot better! I have a Roland VX3080 controlled by a Roland A80 and it sounds beautiful. I am also waiting for the new Yammie instead of getting the RS7000 'tho i want the Motif6....anyone know the release date? I thinks it probably May or later, i bet its like June or July